


Something Special

by MinaAffairs



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chronic Pain, Dialogue Light, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hordak is a moron, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Abuse, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21651280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinaAffairs/pseuds/MinaAffairs
Summary: A moment of weakness and a slightly more self aware Hordak lead to a different direction for the war and those fighting it.Set over seasons 1 and 2Catdak riseWritten to troll a friend but also...
Relationships: Catra/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 93





	Something Special

**Author's Note:**

> God has punished me for my hubris and my work is never done.

Hordak howls in pain, a surge moving through his armor and into his body. The support frame is suffering more failures but he cannot afford to leave it off for an extended maintenance period. Not with Shadow Weaver looking for an opening to gather more power for herself. He needs a stopgap, some solution that can keep him going without requiring extended maintenance.

"L-lord Hordak" an unsure voice calls out, surprised. He spins around. The new Force Captain, Catra. She's kneeling, looking at the ground. Did she see him in pain? Clutching his side and limping for his tools? Without a doubt she did.

Anger and fear mix in Hordak. He feels vulnerable. So he does all he can do, he puts on airs.

"Force Captain. For what possible reason do you disturb me?" He asks, turning to protect his injured side. 

"Just reports from Shadow Weaver, Sir." She says. Sure enough under her arm is a folder. Hordak extends his claws out. 

"Give them to me then." 

The Force Captain does so, handing them over after seeming to hesitate for a moment. Hordak is about to snap at her, to send her off in fear to protect his position, when she speaks.

"Lizard Venom."

Hordak is taken aback by that sudden comment, enough that he doesn't yell. It seems so very random. "Excuse me?"

"One of the lizard species. The ones that are usually red? They have venom, but it's not super strong. If you put it over a wound it can numb it... Useful if you uh…" she pauses awkwardly for a moment. "Need some pain relief without it being on the books..." She flinches as she says that. Ears drooping. She's not looking at him, and likely expecting punishment.

Hordak stares for a moment. Taking all of that in. "An interesting piece of trivia, Force Captain." He finally says. "You are dismissed." 

Force Captain Catra nods and marches away. Hordak ponders that encounter for a moment. Then decides to do some research on one of the species of the Horde. That could in fact be useful as the stopgap measure he requires for the time being. Of course painkillers are not exactly the best solution health wise but being assassinated during a moment of vulnerability by your second in command is also not the best for ones physical wellbeing.

Hordak curses his situation as he returns to one of his lab consoles and begins to bring up the biological files of different reptilian Horde species, tracking down the particular one the force Captain had mentioned. This will be his next few hours minimally, longer if they have not been previously sequenced and catalogued. Still, the work takes his mind off the pain.

Hordak soon finds that they have been sequenced and catalogued, and that the Force Captain is interestingly right in a way. Looking through the biological logs on members of the species it seems that their venom is in fact a paralytic just strong enough to cause localized numbing in most humanoids. It could prove useful for Hordak, even if not directly then likely as a basis for something else. 

In a way it's amusing he missed this during his previous biological work, and for a newly promoted Force Captain to bring it to his attention in the manner that it was...

She is something special it would seem.

Regardless, with this task done, and practical applications of the knowledge to ponder Hordak leaves his sanctum and makes his way to his throne. As he approaches the throne a thought strikes him. As he sits down it begins to fill up more of his mind. A question, an assumption, a knowing.

Why did Force Captain Catra know about this?

Why would she need pain management outside of the standard medical system? 

He produces a data pad from a compartment on his throne and begins to look through this Force Captains medical record. Looking for any abnormalities. Signs of substance abuse? Regular visits to the infirmary? Anything really. What he does find makes him frown.

Entirely too common visits as a child... Sudden drop off over time. In fact a suspicious lack of them as she got older. No signs of trying to abuse the medical system. Clinician notes of unreported injuries and scars during the few times she has gone for medical attention as she's gotten older.

Hordak sets the pad down, leaning on the arm of his throne and thinking. Pondering why this could be. He already knows though. He saw her being dragged to his throne before he promoted her. He knows exactly why this Force Captain knows how to get off the record pain relief.

Getting it on record would anger her superior.

…

He does not immediately act on this knowledge of course. Why should he? It is of no concern to him so long as his subordinates are effective in their work.

Yet something about it gnaws at him. It makes him pay more attention. He sees it in meetings. In reports. The way the Force Captain does as Shadow Weaver asks. The way Shadow Weaver owns her victories and is so quick to point out the Captains mistakes. It is familiar. It is so painfully familiar.

When Hordak gets the chance to punish Shadow Weaver for the backfiring of a plan he knows she stole from Catra there is a certain catharsis. There is a welling in his core of... Justice.

And he has to face it. He has to face the truth. What he's seen... What he knows. What he's lived and is seeing this Force Captain live.

He hates it.

When Imp reports on a captured Princesses plan for the Black Garnet he knows his chance is now. His time to make something right. Force Captains Catra and Scorpia and their Princess captive are summoned to him. 

The Princess Entrapta's intriguing theory is explained, her plan proposed, and Hordak gives his approval for it. He would have one way or another, it is in fact a fascinating use for the Black Garnet which until now has been little more than a trinket.

As the trio of women turn to march off he speaks. 

"Force Captain Catra, stay." He commands.

She flinches and turns to him "Yes, Lord Hordak?"

He regards her for a moment "Shadow Weaver will not be pleased with this plan." He states directly. "She will make this known. Know that you have my full support, and do not hesitate... To take what is yours." He nods.

Catra stares for a moment, her eyes widening. Then she nods. "Thank you, Lord Hordak. I won't disappoint you."

"I know." 

He catches a small smile on Catra's features before she turns to head out and proceed with their task.

Things move quickly after that. As expected Shadow Weaver throws her little tantrum, and Force Captain Catra performs well. The sorceress is broken and imprisoned, and a problem is dealt with. The experiment moves forward and its effects are taken advantage of to assault Bright Moon.

They almost win then and there. It is all rather impressive.

Unfortunately unforseen intervention of previously neutral forces require a retreat. Lord Hordak gets quite a good picture of what happened from the reports. Still he notes the failure to the Force Captain and her retinue to gauge reaction upon their return to his throne.

They do not disappoint with their defense.

The princess is right, the scientific data is notable, and Catra herself makes a strong argument for her worth. When all is said and done Hordak promotes her, and then has her stay behind as the other two leave yet again.

Catra looks confused. "We need to work on getting our forces regrouped. I'm prepared to get to work immediately on that Lord Hordak-" he raises a hand to stop her, she blinks.

"I will have Force Captain Octavia handle the regrouping and reinforcement of our forces." He says calmly. "You are to take twenty-four hours of rest. By my estimation you have been working constantly for days now."

Catra only looks further surprised. "Sir! I promise you I am fit to keep working! There is no need for that!"

Hordak raises a brow. She thinks this is a punishment...  
She thinks he's already trying to push her aside.

It takes Hordak a moment to decide how to respond. It... Feels strange. Familiar. The feeling that your superior does not truly want you in the position you have earned. He understands it and that hurts.

"I am rewarding you, Force Captain." He finally lands on.

Catra stares, her surprise taking a softer tone.. "O-oh... I mean! Of course sir!" 

Hordak nods. "Take your day of rest, return to work after. You are dismissed."

She salutes and marches away. Hordak can only watch her go with a twinge of worry. Not about her, for her.

Regardless, there is in fact an ulterior motive to her reward. While she rests and celebrates her success he has twenty-four hours to work on his support frame without much worry. Perhaps he can finally get a modicum of relief.

On some level Hordak hopes that this is the start of a new era for the Horde, a better one. Time will tell 

…

Another failure. The generator for the Portal Machine refuses to work. Constant failure after failure after failure. It has Hordak on edge and he knows it. He's angry, why will this thing not work?! He knows the maths! The physics! He built the Fright Zone why can he not build this?!

It is as he goes back over all of his equations, again, that he hears her. Force Captain Catra. Her probing "Hello? Lord Hordak?" It almost irritates him. It does irritate him. Of course she picks now to intrude upon him.

"State your purpose, Force Captain Catra." He replies, not even turning to look at her yet. 

"Lord Hordak. I just thought we could touch base, establish a daily check in. Like you and Shadow Weaver used to do?" He hears her walking into the sanctum.

Hordak turns to look upon her now. Ready to take his anger out on her. Then he sees her, standing at attention, looking up at him expectantly. Again, for the first time since the aftermath of the Battle of Bright moon he sees it. He feels it.

He sees himself looking up expectantly, with hope, and he imagines green eyes looking back down.

Hordak's anger ebs. It is not directed at Catra, it is not her fault his machine will not work. Her failures are completely unrelated to this, and her failures are… forgivable.

"Yes. That is perhaps a good idea. We have allowed ourselves to grow lax in communications between command staff." Hordak nods. 

Catra seems to start to smile. Her ears perk up. "I'm glad you like my idea Lord Hordak. I feel it will increase effectiveness and help us to avoid... Problems in strategic operations that could lead to operational failures."

Hordak nods, moving around the sanctum and observing her from multiple angles. Then a thought graces his mind. "Force Captain Catra, you are rather strategically and tactically adept." He begins. "Do you know much about science and engineering?"

Catra blinks in surprise.

Of course she doesn't know much. Hordak expected that, she was Shadow Weaver's Ward and Shadow Weaver was always woefully disinterested in technology despite how important it is to the Horde. Still, it does not really matter. She works as a decent sounding board as he explains some of the projects he has worked on, and even suggests some strategic uses for things he has created.

The idea of using the instability of the generator in a weaponized fashion is almost inspired. The mental sketch of a 'Pulse Bot' entering his mind the moment she brings up the proposed use case.

The next day they discuss the state of the war and the Fright Zone, and much the same after that. The check-ins are not long, and often rather uneventful, yet they do add something to the days that seems to help Hordak focus in the longer term. That small disruption of his work allowing him to return to it with new perspectives. 

Eventually on days when nothing of note needs doing from those at the top of the command structure Hordak even allows Catra to stay in the sanctum after their meeting is technically done.

Her presence is... Not objectionable. 

It is on one such day where Catra speaks up, sitting on a work table as Hordak tinkers with his generator. "Oh hey, Lord Hordak. I almost forgot to ask. Do you have a spare uh... Six sided hex driver?"

Hordak looks up, his brow furrowing quizzically. "What could you need one of those for, Catra?" 

"Oh it's not for me. Entrapta needs one I guess? She wanted to see if you had one, I told her I'd ask next meeting." 

Hordak nods. Then points over to the table Catra is actually sitting on. "Right there. Green. I would like it back by the end of the day." As he stands back up he continues. "Do you think she could have useful insight to this project?" He asks as he gestures to the generator.

"Probably?" Catra almost asks her response. "She's the second smartest person I know. After you of course, Lord Hordak, and she's great with the bots."

He nods. "I'll keep that in mind."

…

Uninsulated Cables.

He was using uninsulated cables. 

Hordak has never managed to feel quite as stupid as the moment he allowed Entrapta in to examine his device and immediately diagnosed it with a terminal case of "the man who built it is a moron."

She didn't actually say that but Hordak felt like that was implied by the entire existence of this mistake. Still she did fix it, and helped him further with the design, improving on what he had made. It was good, refreshing. Catra has been a help but this... This is in many ways incredible. She has pushed his machine to the edge of what is possible with Horde technology. With his technology.

"With some First Ones tech we could get even MORE VOLTAGE!" The Princess shouts out excitedly. Hordak can only quirk a brow at her eccentricity. 

At just about the same time Catra walks and up to Hordak's side. "Lord Hordak... I believe it is time for our daily check in?" The Force Captain speaks up 

He glances over at her. Ah it must be. He lost track of time. "Of course Force Captain. Though I am working with Entrapta's assistance here. Are there any pressing issues that I need to be made aware of?"

Catra blinks, her ears droop a little. "No sir. There are not."

"Very well, then we can skip the formalities for today. Return to your duties at once."

"Y-yes Lord Hordak." Catra bows and steps away. Hordak's focus returns to Entrapta. She seems to have had more ideas for things she is seeing around the sanctum. Interesting.

The meetings with Catra grow shorter after that. More Curt. The work is always done, information exchanged, but neither seem to have as much to say. Or perhaps it is just that Hordak is distracted. Progress is being made on his Portal Machine. More progress then there has been in years. 

When Entrapta says she has a signal for First One's tech that they can use Hordak sends her off with Catra and Force Captain Scorpia immediately. 

"seriously Hordak? The northern reach? I'm needed here to guide the war effort." Catra talks back to him when the order is given

"You are needed where I send you Catra!" Hordak hisses out. This is too important. "You will escort Entrapta where she needs to be, you will excavate what she needs to excavate, and you will return here with it do you understand me?"

She looks at the ground. "Yes Lord Hordak. I understand" and dismisses herself.

In the silence that follows Hordak finds himself...

Regretful.

...

It is only after the group returns successfully that things change again. Hordak is having his armor reassembled while Entrapta is working on the grid. The array malfunctions and slams a piece of his armor against him incorrectly. Hordak howls in pain, knocking the arm aside. Then realizing what has happened, he goes to retrieve the part.

And he sees it. His degenerated, almost mangled, arm. Reaching out desperately for the thing that keeps him whole. He is reminded of what it is he actually looks like. It fills him, the painful knowledge. The self loathing. The despair of not being what you should be.

He steels himself, retrieving the part.

Then he hears her, Catra. "Lord Hordak I-" she stops mid sentence. She's seen him. He spins around and faces away, giving the components back to the array.

His mind scrambles for something to deflect with. For some task to give her to make her not think about what she has seen.

She speaks before he can. A simple "are you okay?" 

It takes him aback. There's no venom, no hint of a hidden motive in it. Her voice is concerned if anything. As the armor is assembled he glances back at her. "I am fine, Catra."

She glances up at him. "You sure?"

He blinks. The cape is placed on his shoulders and he turns to face her. "Why are you asking?" He can't help but pry into that. It's unexpected.

Catra averts her gaze. "I'm... I want to make sure you're at your best Lord Hordak." She says as she looks away. There's more to it. Even Hordak can see that.

Then the power shuts off for a moment. Oh great, Entrapta has blown the grid.

When the lights come back on Entrapta says hi to Catra, and the two ask each other what they're doing here. Hordak barely notices the exchange at first though. He's caught up in something else.

The moment the room went dark Catra moved. Quickly. She raised herself and spun around, baring her claws. She moved in front of Hordak. To protect him. She did not move to take advantage of the moment, she moved to help him.

He has never experienced that before.

"Entrapta is helping me with a project." Hordak finally interjects on the two women's back and forth. Causing them both to look at him. Then he looks at Entrapta. "Entrapta, if you could leave us for a minute. There is business I must discuss with Force Captain Catra." He says it before he even realizes what he's saying.

Entrapta just lets out a happy "Okay!" And disappears into the ceiling.

As Catra turns to look at him she wears a quizzical expression. "What do you need, Lord Hordak?"

What does he need? He isn't even sure. He wanted to speak with her but now that he can he's not sure what he even wanted to speak about. Internally Lord Hordak panics.

"Catra, I need you to send Shadow Weaver to beast island immediately." It's all he can think of. An order. Something that needs doing.

She looks taken aback. "Lord Hordak she's my prisoner! Her knowledge of Etheria is valuable!"

"And her knowledge of the Fright Zone is a risk! One too great given that she has given us nothing during her imprisonment!"

"Give me more time Lord Hordak! I can make her useful!" 

She's pleading. She's pleading up at him. It pulls at something inside Hordak. His fist clenches and he watches Catra glance at it in worry. That hurts more. It's not directed at Catra, and internally he pleads for her not to think it is. What is happening to him?

"You have three days to extract any useful information you can from her, Catra. Then she is to be gone."

"Yes. Lord Hordak." He watches her slump, and it feels worse than it should to do so. As she turns to walk away Hordak silently curses to himself. This is the correct move of course, Shadow Weaver is a risk. Yet the look on Catra's face, the sound in her voice. 

He shouldn't have even given her three days, but how could he not? At least that is likely not enough time for anything to go terribly wrong.

Of course it is during those three days that it all goes unexpectedly. He is working alone when Catra walks into his sanctum. It is not scheduled. He looks up at her, expecting triumph. Expecting to hear of her success with Shadow Weaver if she is coming to him before the three days are up.

Instead she looks distraught. Broken.

"Catra?" He asks tentatively. 

"Lord Hordak I..." She doesn't look at him. Her eyes are bolting from place to place along the ground. Her ears are pinned down. Her hand goes up to partially cover her face. "I lost Shadow Weaver." Her voice comes out Shakey.

Hordak's eyes go wide. For a moment rage washes through him. How dare she? How dare she make a mistake like this? A failure like this?! Then it stops. He sees her again. Shaking, worried. Ready to face her punishment.

"Report what happened immediately." He speaks firmly.

Catra looks to, "W-what?"

"We must ascertain how this happened, and if we can recapture her. Now Catra."

She looks shocked, then does as he orders. She tells him everything, that she tried to get Shadow Weaver to at least help herself. That she let Shadow Weaver convince her to bring a Memento to the cell. It's all so foolish.

It's all so clearly desperately attempting to be granted approval by her old mentor. Again the hate and disgust well in Hordak. Again it feels so familiar.

There is nothing to be done about the escape. Shadow Weaver is gone and used methods that their other prisoners will not be able to make use of. Hordak is sure of this. As Catra stands there staring at the ground he has to decide what to do with her. 

This is her failure. A massive one. She did admit it to him though, and beyond that the painful familiarity makes him not want to bring forth the punishments he likely normally would.

"Catra." He finally says after a long period of silence. "You are confined to quarters for the time being. Meals will be brought to you. Leave your badge here." He finally says. "We will have the guards escort you."

Catra is silent for a moment, staring up at him. For a moment she almost seems to want to defy him. Then something else graces her features, something Hordak can't quite place for certain. Resignation perhaps? "Yes. Lord Hordak." And she takes off her badge.

…

"HORDAK!" Is how it had started. He was working on his armor, pondering what to do about Catra, and suffering a very painful frame malfunction when Entrapta burst in from the ceiling. She found more first ones tech. Requested to send Catra out to retrieve it. 

He had said no. The Crimson Wastes are a suicide mission. Also Catra is decommissioned and that is definitely his primary reason for not wanting to send her. The Crimson Wastes part is naturally secondary. Of course.

Then Entrapta began to throw data at him. Everything Catra has done for the Horde. Her overall effectiveness. And then Entrapta let out "Plus you always seem to like getting reports from her."

That hits him. He doesn't expect it to but it definitely does. So Lord Hordak snaps. "This discussion is over! Out!" 

Entrapta pouts and leaves, and as Hordak catches his breath he turns to the data tablets she left behind. Picking one up and beginning to read through it. Entrapta has compiled a lot of data to be sure. Efficiency reports. Manufacturing logs. Mission success rates. 

Catra is good at her job. Far better than Shadow Weaver.

Then he thinks back to her personal actions. Their check-ins, her concern for his wellbeing, her moving to protect him in the dark, her coming to him with the truth about Shadow Weaver. She is loyal to the Horde. To him.

Before he realizes what is happening Hordak is chiming Catra's door. 

"Scorpia I told you to leave me alone!" She hisses out from within.

Hordak simply opens the room up and steps inside. "Force Captain Scorpia is attending to other duties."

"Lord Hordak!" Catra leaps up, she's in her sleepwear. As she stands she seems to realize that and scrambles to pull her blanket up over herself. Hordak can only quirk his brow with slight amusement. She is quite physically fit, that is good to know.

"I will make this brief Catra." He speaks as the door slides shut behind him. "In light of your contributions to the Horde, and in acknowledgement of your admittance to your failure to hold Shadow Weaver I have decided to deal with the matter of your punishment discreetly." He says.

Catra's ears droop, she looks almost disappointed. He hates that look.

He continues on. "I will be assigning you to a special operation. A tech retrieval mission to the Crimson Wastes. Entrapta has picked up a-"

"The Crimson Wastes?!" Catra suddenly exclaims. "It's a total deadzone! Nothing survives out there!"

"I have every confidence that you will-"

"I'll die Hordak!" 

He has to take a breath. "I am prepared to equip you with what you need to succeed in this mission. It is potentially valuable to my and Entrapta's work, and upon your success I will reinstate your rank and position."

Catra stares at him for a long moment. "Entrapta..." She says. "It's all about Entrapta isn't it?"

Hordak blinks. Now he is confused. "Excuse me?"

"You're sending me out there for Entrapta! Just like you pushed me out of the sanctum for her! And it's just perfect isn't it! Either I succeed and you get some shiny tech to give her or I die and I'm just out of the picture for you huh?" She's hissing at him. Angry. 

For a moment anger flares inside Hordak as well, a deep desire to lash back at her.

Then it's gone. He just feels bad. For her, for everything that's happened. "No." He says. "Catra I am trying to save your life, and bring you back where you belong."

The air is heavy in the room.

They stare at each other for a moment. Catra begins to open her mouth but this time it is Hordak's turn to interrupt. "Do you believe I have been pushing you aside in favor of Entrapta?"

Catra averts her gaze. Her tail thrashing and her arms wrapping around her chest. The blanket has long fallen to the ground. "She gets the tech stuff and can help you with your projects. You work with her all the time..."

"She is a brilliant scientist and engineer " Hordak agrees. "She would make a terrible officer. You have different roles."

That doesn't seem to help and Hordak can feel that immediately. Catra stares at the ground now. "Is that what I am? An officer? A role?..."

It takes Hordak a long time to speak again, to piece his answer together. It is time for honesty with her, and he has no other conclusion but "I... Do not know."

That forces Catra's gaze back up to him. "What?"

"I do not know." He repeats. "You are, or were, of course a Force Captain, and my second in command." Now it is Hordak's turn to avert his gaze. "But... I find your presence in general... Acceptable."

In the moment of silence that follows fear wells up in Hordak's chest. He has said the wrong thing. He has made himself vulnerable. For nothing. This is a mistake 

Then he feels a gentle bump on his torso. Hordak's eyes shift and he looks down. Catra is standing there, the top of her head bumping into his chest. She lightly headbutts him a second time.

"C-Catra?!" He isn't sure what else to do or say.

"I think you're acceptable too." She mumbles at him. "Really acceptable." She adds on.

Hordak blinks. "Oh."

"Yeah."

They stand like that for a long moment. Hordak is painfully aware of how out of his depth he is here. He looks back, trying to think of what he has observed from other members of the Horde in interpersonal situations like this over the years.

Carefully he moves a hand up and places it on Catra's back, patting her gently. That doesn't seem quite right but it's as close as he can get.

Catra seems to accept the gesture at least. She looks up at him finally. "I want to know everything. What exactly you're building, why I'm getting this tech, all of it. I know I don't get the science stuff really well but tell me anyway." She's making a demand of him, in her position she's making a demand of him.

And Hordak complies. "The generator I had been working on with you is a piece of a larger machine. One to create a portal." He begins.

…

"The skiff should help your journey. You will be given back your badge so that you and Force Captain Scorpia can communicate at distance as well. Any weapons you need will of course be provided." Hordak goes over the list of provisions and equipment that Catra is being given for this definitely punitive assignment.

They're standing off to the side of the skiff bay, alone. Hordak prefers to be out of earshot of most others while going over details like this. Mostly because he's being very helpful to someone who is supposed to be being punished.

"Don't worry Hordak." Catra smirks. "I got this."

For his part Hordak just nods. "Yes. You do. Good luck, former Force Captain Catra."

Catra scoffs and shakes her head, starting to walk away. Then she stops mid step. She looks back over to Hordak. Then quickly steps up to him, grabs him by the cape and tugs him down. 

Their lips meet. Hordak's eyes shoot open wide but he does not stop this. It's different, unexpected. Then it's over. Catra breaks the kiss and lets him go.

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone big guy." She smirks at him.

Hordak just stammers. "Of course..." And watches her saunter away. She is something special to be sure.


End file.
